Deep Breath
by makarakarn
Summary: Naoto and Yuu spend their dates together as lovers. Naoto tries to dress up more feminine than usual only for her boyfriend's eyes. She starts to open up her heart to him and strives to lessen her shyness bit by bit.
1. Signs of Love

Chapter 1

 **Ｓｉｇｎｓ ｏｆ Ｌｏｖｅ**

* * *

 **November 26 After School Yasogami High 1F Hallway**

"I-I have something I want you to have, so.." Naoto said, looking away from Yuu.

"...where we can be alone. Can I go to your room?"

How can he refuse her request after being shown such a cute embarrassed face she never let anyone see?

* * *

 **Dojima Residence**

Being the Detective Prince she is, naturally she observed every detail in the room. Plus the fact that it was _his_ room, she truly was interested about learning about him. She noticed the Persona Dolls, the scooters and robot models he painstakingly made for weeks. Even the position of the furnitures in his room caught her attention.

Upon entering the room, a black sofa with two navy blue throw pillows on it will be seen. At the center of the room, right in front of the sofa was a low wooden working table. Across the room was a TV where he watches the Midnight Channel. Beside the door was a three storey shelf, with various displays on it. In the corner was a brown wooden cabinet. On the far end of the room were his study table and the futon.

"I"m sorry to examine everything in your room, it's just that it's my first time to be in a guy's room... _my boyfriend's_ room, to be exact," Naoto said, her cheeks turning red.

Yuu, despite of being in his own territory, sat uncomfortably on the couch. It was the first time a girl entered his room aside from his younger cousin Nanako. It showed on his face, making it for Naoto to notice.

"Is it that interesting?" nevertheless, Yuu spoke with a charming smile like how he usually looks at her.

"A-anyways," Naoto subconsciously raises the pitch of her voice, different from the masculine voice she speaks with. Yuu noticed this but pretended that he didn't.

She sat down beside him and handed over a gift.

"I-I have something for you to have, Senpai." Naoto handed Yuu a detective badge.

"I uhhh... errr I made it." She shyly said.

After expressing his gratitude, there was a few moments of dead silence. Both were still shy towards each other after all.

"S-Senpai, d-do you find the pitch of my voice strange?"

"..."

Yuu had himself thinking for a moment whether to say he _likes her just as how she is,_ or to tell her to _become more girly._

"I like it higher," he said with a firm resolve. It was as demanding as it sounds like, but it was only his opinion. Nevertheless, Naoto seemed satisfied with his answer.

"Senpai, do you remember the Miss Yasogami Pageant?" she asked again.

"Yes, and I voted for you to win, despite of you not showing yourself in a swimsuit," he teasingly replied.

"...Haa, I cannot imagine myself showing my bare skin in front of many people," with a frown she answered immediately. "Iー"

"And lemme guess, you compare yourself with _the_ Rise Kujikawa as you were lined up beside her, right?"

"...Yes. I know it myself that I am not fit to join a beauty contest..."

"...the events happening lately were beyond my wildest imaginings."

"For example, I never knew I'd fall... for anyone... for you..." Naoto confessed again.

He replied nothing but a gesture that could melt her in an instantーhis lips softly touching her cheek, which was turning red in color.

That was the first time Naoto experienced such. _"But it was just a kiss on the cheek, right? Nothing wrong with it..."_ She argues with herself, trying to think logically as usual.

"I... I couldn't look you in the eye..." She hid her face with her hat, but her red ears evidently show she blushes really hard.

"nhh," Yuu made a sound as if preventing his laughter from bursting. "But I want to see _you,"_ as he spoke his fingers were guiding Naoto's chin to turn towards him. His lips touched hers and it was a sweet, loving kiss. There was no use hiding her face now, and she was shocked with it. Her deep blue eyes widened as she stared into the eyes of her lover; those eyes filled with tender feelings and sincere emotions. She gave in, closed her eyes and cherished the moment.

The day ended with a seal of their first kiss as lovers.

* * *

Author's Note: Naoto is never the type of person who will intentionally enter an intimate relationship with someone she had only known for months, especially when her main objective to enrol in Yasogami High and live temporarily in Inaba was to solve the murders mainly as the Detective Prince. However, perhaps of the Protagonist's "traits", he was able to remind of Naoto of one of her "other selves", that she is still a woman susceptible of being attracted and falling in love. Protagonist is truly the manliest of all men, let us assume?

Additional basis for this assumption about Naoto's personality: please take time to read "Persona X Tantei Naoto", where Naoto was the protagonist, doing her usual thing as a detective. (Gist of the Novel? Kirijo Group, murder and mystery, a new male type of Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon and of course, a bit of fanservice from the long-haired "Prince". ;) hoho.)


	2. Distance

Chapter 2

 **Ｄｉｓｔａｎｃｅ**

* * *

 **December 23**

Yuu received a text message.

From Naoto Shirogane:

SEE U TOMORROW? Y/N

PLZ REPLY ASAP

"Wow. Straightforward, as usual." Yuu chuckled, and replied _'Yes'_

* * *

 **December 24, Christmas Eve Dojima Residence**

Every time the wind blew, her heart raced. The space between her legs were cooler than usual, as if she were about to catch a cold. She thought wearing a skirt exposing her legs were the most defenseless. Flustered, she pressed her thighs closer, rubbing her knees together.

Naoto wore a Yasogami _seifuku!_

"W-what do you think?" Naoto asked Yuu in a feminine voice.

Stunned. Amazed. Yuu stared at her for a few moments, speechless.

"D-don't stare like that, umm... I wore this because you mentioned you like my voice a bit higher in pitch... Umm... I think wearing girly skirts during dates is the normal thing girlfriends do... But I uh, don't have anything like that in my wardrobe." She broke the silence first and explained herself, as if she was a suspect being interrogated and accused guilty. "... I only have this outfit... So, uh,"

She thought that maybe not wearing her trademark hat when she needed to cover her embarrassed face must have been a mistake.

"You look cute," he said in an excited tone.

She could die out of embarrassment that moment, and to save herself even temporarily, she hid her legs with the throw pillow on the couch as she sat down.

She was not wearing her trademark hat on the way, and if you don't know her really well, you will not suspect that she was _the_ Detective Prince walking down the street in a female school uniform. Although it is normal to walk around town in seifuku, she didn't feel comfortable enough.

"Please wait here for a moment," Yuu spoke softly to her. He glanced back, smiling at Naoto before he closed the door and headed downstairs.

"..Haa," a sigh escaped her lips as soon as the door closed.

Naoto was flustered. She never thought of, nor imagined herself to do something over the top, such as wearing a girly clothing just to please a man she loves. Nevertheless she smiled to herself upon thinking her efforts to dress up made him speechless in every good way possible.

Meanwhile downstairs at the kitchen, Yuu fetched the strawberry cake he bought especially for the two of them to share. The smile he had before he left his room was still on his face.

Before marching back to his room upstairs, he thought of tiptoeing so that he cannot be heard by Naoto. He wanted to take a peek first before showing himself up with his cake.

Naoto seemed to be busy with herself that she didn't even hear the slightest sound the doorknob made as the door went ajar. He caught her holding her face with both hands. Even though her face was hidden in her palms, her ears were red in color, proof that she was blushing perhaps from embarrassment.

"Fuu..." Yuu blew right at her left ear.

"HYAAA!" A very cute, feminine voice escaped her, a voice she never knew she could possibly make.

"My, you're so composed when you present yourself as the Detective Prince, but now..." he said, with a seductive smile on his lips. "I like how cute you are. I love every side of you and if I happen to witness another side of you.." He leaned in closer to her, making Naoto cover her chest with her arms to protect her personal space.

"I'd gladly accept another 'you' and make you feel more loved."

He brushed her bangs away with his hand and kissed her forehead.

"...Y-You always say embarrassing things," Naoto couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, bowing her head in embarrassment.

They sat on the floor across each other, the cake on the low working table between them. Yuu didn't say anything but smiles seductively, forcing Naoto to strike a conversation.

"U-um... It's pretty cold outside!" Naoto exclaimed, glancing at the window behind Yuu.

Yuu still didn't say a word.

"Ah, well, uh..." Naoto blushes.

"I-I'm sorry... I guess I'm nervous... because, um, we're the only ones here..." Naoto said with a cute, embarrassed face.

She caught herself losing composure yet again, so she finally put on a calm, happy face for him. "That's a... wonderful cake. It makes me feel like a kid again."

Naoto remembered she had a reason for coming over to him during Christmas Eve. "Um, I have something for you. I was late because I had to go back home to get it before I came here."

Naoto handed over a Handmade Watch.

"I customized this watch. It has the normal functions of a digital watch, but..." Naoto starts to lose composure again. "It can also tell you where I am... It's just a toy, though, so it only has a radius of a few meters."

Yuu was quite impressed! As expected from the Detective Prince! He thought to himself how lucky he was to have her. He began wearing the watch as she explained.

"And.. J-Just so you know, my watch has a similar function..." Naoto confessed. "My watch can tell me... where you are."

"I'm happy to know that." Yuu sincerely replied, touched by the sweetness of his girlfriend.

"Really? ...I'm glad. Although, from spring on, my watch would just say _'out of range'_..." Naoto frowns, "Until then... I want to be with you as much as possible."

The mere thought of him needing to leave Inaba this spring caused the atmosphere to become heavy.

"U-Um, may I sit closer to you...?" Naoto asked, fidgeting. It seemed like she had gathered enough courage to speak those words to him.

"It's actually very cold tonight..."

Yuu nodded, moving a bit to his left so that Naoto can sit beside him more comfortably. Naoto sat close to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He, in return, placed his hand on Naoto's right shoulder, pressing her closer to him.

"Don't worry, okay? Remember," Yuu loosened his grip on Naoto and looked her in her eyes. "...that I will always be yours, wherever we go, no matter the distance, the fact that our inseverable bond will always remain."

"Besides, we'll still be both in Japan. We can meet up anywhere, anytime we want to. So don't be sad, okay?"

Naoto nodded, looking at him as if she was a child getting promises from a parent.

 _"Oh, his face. That smile. I'm doomed."_

 _"It's the best Christmas Eve I've ever had. Who knew Shirogane is this adorably cute?"_

* * *

There on the table, the last piece of the strawberry cake.

"C-Can I stay here tonight...?" Naoto asked as soon as she swallowed the last piece of the cake. "I... I want you beside me..."

"...It's unfair. You stole my heart. If you were to take me, take everything."

No words were spoken, but it were the eyes that did the talking.

The night was long. Only the sounds from the crickets and the soft moans could be heard. They took deep breaths as they warm themselves in the futon.

The watch reads:

DISTANCE less than 1m.


	3. Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 3

 **Ｂｅａｕｔｙ** **ａｎｄ** **t** **ｈｅ** **Ｂｅａｓｔ**

* * *

 **January 1 Cafe Chagall**

"I'm glad to be able to spend with you the 1st day of the 365 days that I have for this year! Some say that what you do on the first day of New Year is what you will be going to do with the rest of the year," Naoto exclaimed, holding a nice, warm cup of chocolate milk.

"I'm glad to see you this energetic. Your high hopes are contagious, you know?" Yu said, holding his cup to his lips. "I wish I can still spend time with you, even after I leave for spring."

"Oh, don't make it sound so gloomy, it's the New Year's..." She stirred her beverage while looking at him with her big round eyes.

"Naoto,"

"Hmm?"

"I've been meaning to ask,"

"What is it?"

Yuu put down the coffee cup to the small porcelain saucer.

"Remember when I answered your question; about me liking the pitch of your voice higher?"

Naoto nodded, while sniffing the sweet aroma of the chocolate milk.

"..."

Footsteps of the people outside the cafe can be heard through the glass window where they sit beside. Snow continued to fall.

"I sort of... regret that I told you subtly that I want you to become more girly."

She could not reply anything, but all she did was to lend her ears. This conversation totally piqued her curiousity.

"What I mean is, the day you came over for Christmas Eve... You wore female clothing... I really mean that you were cute in that outfit though," he paused every now and then, trying to read her facial expressions. He did have the courage to speak something up, in fact he even invited her to have a talk with her at Cafe Chagall. However, he worried about whether his current level of expression will suffice to convey to her what he was meaning to say.

"But I think, if you are going to start dressing up like that _for me,_ at the expense of your comfort..."

Naoto's smile slightly diminished. He saw this and became quite a bit alarmed. He did not want her to be frowning on New Year's Day, or any day of the year, or in the years to come.

He held her hand. "I don't want you to change _for me._ I accept you just as who you are, Naoto.."

"...I willingly accept you for who you are, remember that."

Her lips opened slightly out of surprise from the words he spoke to her. Little did she knew that her cheeks turned light pink.

"Y-You _really_ say embarrassing things, don't you?" She replied.

"Ah. I may not be good with putting my thoughts into words." He said, removing his hand from hers and placed it at the back of his head. He did realize that his words were too much of a cliché.

"Well, I did have thoughts of trying to change for you... I umm, I thought you will like me more if I become more feminine in the way I speak, in the way I dress up..."

He shook his head.

"Naoto, you do know the story of Beauty and the Beast, don't you?"

"Well of course. Everyone does know. A beast and a beautiful maiden met each other end up being lovers regardless of him having such ferocious appearance of a monster.. What about it?" She took another sip of the hot chocolate milk.

"Do you think Beauty _intended_ or _wished_ for Beast to change himself into a handsome prince?"

"Hmmm.. No. I think,"

"Correct. Instead, she _accepted_ him as he is. It just happened that his true self was really a handsome Prince Charming in the end. A perfect partner for her, too. It demonstrates _symbolically_ that Beauty was rewarded greatly when she practiced acceptance. Her reward was a rich and fulfilling life, signified by living happily ever after with the prince."

"However," he leaned on the table, moving in closer to Naoto's face.

"Most of the people who watched the movie think that the fairytale meant that if one _controls_ another by means of forcing them to change, at the same time _denying_ the reality of the current situation, they will attain happiness if they successfully managed to change their partners. Which in fact, will never happen. Like how you denied your other self, trying to suppress its true form instead of accepting it, the suppressed party runs wild and things will get worse. Nobody wants to be a prisoner of that fate."

Yuu took a sip of his coffee to wet his throat before continuing to explain.

"Some people say that lovemaking is the highest form of love.." He felt uncomfortable upon mentioning _that_ , that he had to cough a bit to resume speaking, "...but, in my opinion, the true acceptance of an individual as who he really is - is the true highest form of love. Many cannot practice this, selfishly wanting to change their partners for their own sake,"

Naoto tilted her head as he spoke.

"I realized, Naoto, that I was close to selfishly wishing you to become more feminine. It did make me happy to see you dressed like that. But, I don't want myself to be benefited at your expense. I want you to change on your own will, not because somebody wished you to." He ended his long lecture as he sipped more of his coffee.

"I... I see. You mean it's okay to be me. As long as you accept me as who I am, there will be no need for anyone's approval but from myself." Naoto replied, finishing her hot chocolate milk with the last sip. "But you know, love is frightening. It feels like I am slowly changing into someone else. Another me that I never knew I had.. But as long as you are with me, it reminds me that I am not alone,"

Time passed. The bell by the door rang.

"I really am glad I met you." Naoto cheerily said. Holding each other's gloved hands, they stepped outside Cafe Chagall.

This was truly a promising day.

* * *

 **About the Title of the Chapter:** Fellow Persona 4 fans, hello! Especially to those who played Persona 4 Golden on PSV. The title _Beauty and the Beast,_ does it ring a bell? To those who doesn't, it is actually that bonus attack Kanji Tatsumi and Naoto Shirogane perform when they were together in the MC's party as they fight shadows in dungeons. However, I don't want to make Kanji and Naoto a pairing in this fic because I am not a fan of love triangles that are too tragic. Instead, I wanted my MC to explain the similarity of Beauty's acceptance of Beast's form, as to how Persona characters _accept the truth rather than hiding or denying it._ In reality as well, if you try to _change_ your partner for _your_ sake, expect it to be toxic.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I decided to make a multiple chapter fanfic (rated M) but I changed my mind, making it suitable to be rated as T.

I've been becoming some sort of a hopeless romantic here, stating awkward things but are really the truth about love relationships.

Thanks for reading! :)


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